Summary for LIT RM

This is the summary I made for my research on the novel. Perhaps I will use this novel for my thesis project. It is a good one, a modern classic story.

-I use this version, I bought it in Periplus for about IDR 80K-

Gisela Swara Gita Andika

084214076

LIFE OF PI by YANN MARTEL

This novel is divided in three sections; Toronto and Pondicherry, The Pacific Ocean, and Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico. Before the sections begin, there is a section containing author notes which obscure the real nature of the story –whether it is a fiction or based on real story. The author notes state that Pi Patel is a real person who has told him the story for the book. The notes tell that Martel has gone to India in order to find the idea for the book. There, he meets Mr. Adirubasamy who tells him a story about Pi Patel, a survivor of a shipwreck, which can make people believe in God. Feeling interested, Martel goes back to Canada where Mr. Patel lives. He interviews him and writes a book about Mr. Patel entitled Life of Pi. Martel acknowledges Mr. Patel, Mr. Adirubasamy, and the Japanese and Canadian authorities who have helped him on realizing the book. However, the author notes are actually the part of the novel itself. The novel’s main plot is based on Martel’s imagination. Pi Patel, Mr. Adirubasamy, and the Japanese shipping company to whom he thanks to are all fictional characters.

-the mathematical equation in which Piscine finds refuge-

The first section, Toronto and Pondicherry, talks about Piscine Molitor Patel’s childhood. Piscine is a son of an Indian zoo director. His father has a zoo named Zootown in Pondicherry Botanical Garden. Piscine loves animal a lot and he understands well about animal psychology. He is a vegetarian, partly because he is a strict Hindu and partly because he respects animals. Piscine is born Hindu, but when he is 14, he starts attending mass in Catholic churches. A year later, he makes friend with a Muslim bread seller and Piscine finds comfort in Islam. Since then, he practices three different religions: Hindu, Catholic, and Islam. Aside from his unique religious practices, he also has a story about his name. He is named after Piscine Molitor, a swimming pool in France, where Mr. Adirubasamy, his beloved mamaji, studied. Piscine has trouble with his name when his friends and teachers at his junior high school tease him by calling him Pissing. Therefore in senior high school, Piscine changes his nick name into simply Pi. He successfully finds refuge on the mathematical constant. When he was 16, his father decides to move from India to Canada. Their movement is forced by a political situation in India at that time (around 1975), when Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship oppress their business. The family and the animals left India on June 21^st, 1977 on the Panamanian registered Japanese cargo ship named Tsimtsum.

In that first section, there are more author notes mostly talking about the author’s impression toward Pi Patel. The notes are talking about the adult Pi, that he is settled in Canada and leading a happy life with his family there. The 40-something-years old Pi has an Indian wife, a son named Nikhil and a daughter named Usha. They have a cat and a dog, and also a house with religious aura. The author notes also state that story has a happy ending.

-the ship sank-

The second section, The Pacific Ocean, talks about Pi’s life as a shipwreck survivor. Tsimtsum sinks on July 2^nd, 1977 and Pi is the only human survivor. He ends up in a lifeboat with some of the animals: A hyena, a zebra, an orangutan named Orange Juice, and a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The zebra’s leg is broken because of the accident. The hyena tortures the wounded zebra and eats it. The hyena also kills Orange Juice. However, Richard Parker kills the hyena. Pi feels that sooner or later Richard Parker will kill him too when the dead animal flesh are gone or gone bad. Pi makes a raft for him to stay so that Richard Parker can stay at the lifeboat and stay away from him. Pi tries to control Richard Parker with his knowledge about animal psychology. Pi also finds some food, fresh water, and utility tools in the lifeboat. However when the supply is gone scarce, Pi starts fishing for himself and for Richard Parker too. He feeds the tiger and give fresh water to Richard Parker too so that the tiger see him as the source of food and water, the super-alpha. That way makes the tiger won’t kill him. Pi starts kill and eat fish, turtles, and other sea creatures despite his being a vegetarian. His hunger turns him into a meat-eater.

-pi saves richard parker in the middle of the storm-

Pi feels deep sorrow from losing his family, but having Richard Parker with him helps him survive. Richard Parker gives him hope and companion. Though at first Pi takes Richard Parker as a constant threat, as time goes by he feels his love grow for Richard Parker. One day a ship sails nearby, but the ship doesn’t see them. As the chance of survival leaves them, Pi realizes his love for Richard Parker. He promises to get the tiger to land.

-Pi catches a mako shark and gives it to Richard Parker. He loves the tiger-

They manage to survive after 227 days floating on the ocean. They finally arrived on the coast of Mexico on February 14^th, 1978. Richard Parker leaves him forever once they land on Tomatlan shore. The people take Pi to the Infirmary and he gets the help he needs there. The authorities also help Pi to go to Canada, find a family to adopt him, and scholarship so he can get his education.

The third section, Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico, is the conversation between Pi and the representatives of the Japanese shipping company who own Tsimtsum. They interview Pi as the only survival when their ship sank in order to investigate the cause of the shipwreck. Pi tells his story, however the two Japanese don’t believe in him. So, Pi creates a new story “the one without animals in it”. In that story, Pi says that there are four people survive from the shipwreck: Pi, his mother, a cook, and a sailor. The cook kills the sailor so that he can eat his flesh. The cook also kills Pi’s mother. Then Pi is outraged and kills the cook too. This story seems more logical then the real one for the Japaneses.